While surnames were well-known during the English medieval period, Cornish People originally used only a single name. The way in which hereditary surnames came into common use is interesting. Under the Feudal System of government, surnames evolved and they often reflected life on the manor and in the field. Patronymic surnames were derived from given names and were the predominant type of surname among the Celtic peoples of Britain. However, the people of Cornwall provide a surprising exception to this rule, and patronymic surnames are less common among them than other people of Celtic stock, such as their Welsh neighbors. This type of surname blended perfectly with the prevailing Feudal System. One feature that is occasionally found in Cornish surnames of this type is the suffix -oe or -ow; this is derived from the Cornish plural suffix -ow. is a patronymic surname that came from the popular religious given name, Paul. Poullard is a patronymic surname, which belongs to the category of hereditary surnames. Many patronymic surnames were formed by adopting the given name of an ancestor of the bearer, while others came from popular religious names, and from the names of secular heroes. However, this surname may have also been a nickname, taken from the Old English word poll, which means head, and the suffix -ard, which referred to something big.[1]CITATION[CLOSE]Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)

Early Origins of the Poullard family

The surname Poullard was first found in Cornwall where one source claims "the barton of Trelleigh in Redruth, was 'the seat of that most ancient family or Pollard, from whence all of the of that name were descended.' " [2]CITATION[CLOSE]The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X) We cannot verify that this is true, but it is important to note that the name was also scattered throughout Britain as in Pollardus Ostiarius who was listed in the Curia Regis Rolls of 1201 on Suffolk, Pollardus Forestarius in the Curia Regis Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1207, Stepahnus filius Pollard in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1275 in Kent. [3]CITATION[CLOSE]Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6) The various Pipe Rolls list: William Pollard in Surrey in 1181; Richard Pollard in Hertfordshire in 1192; and Richard Pollard in Lancashire in 1195. [1]CITATION[CLOSE]Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)

Early History of the Poullard family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Poullard research.Another 189 words (14 lines of text) covering the years 1641, 1603, 1666, 1640, 1667, 1616, 1701, 1681 and 1710 are included under the topic Early Poullard History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Poullard Spelling Variations

Cornish surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The official court languages, which were Latin and French, were also influential on the spelling of a surname. Since the spelling of surnames was rarely consistent in medieval times, and scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules, it was common to find the same individual referred to with different spellings of their surname in the ancient chronicles. Moreover, a large number of foreign names were brought into England, which accelerated and accentuated the alterations to the spelling of various surnames. Lastly, spelling variations often resulted from the linguistic differences between the people of Cornwall and the rest of England. The Cornish spoke a unique Brythonic Celtic language which was first recorded in written documents during the 10th century. However, they became increasingly Anglicized, and Cornish became extinct as a spoken language in 1777, although it has been revived by Cornish patriots in the modern era. The name has been spelled Pollard, Pollarde, Poullard, Pawlarde and others.

Early Notables of the Poullard family (pre 1700)

Notables of the family at this time include Sir Lewis Pollard, 1st Baronet (d.1641) of King's Nympton, Devon; Sir Hugh Pollard, 2nd Baronet (1603-1666), an English soldier and politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1640 and 1667, he supported the Royalist cause in the English Civil... Another 49 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Poullard Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Poullard family to Ireland

Some of the Poullard family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.Another 35 words (2 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.